A judge sentenced former Mt. Pleasant police Sgt. Eric Jason Campbell to 50 years in prison Friday after he pled guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a child, said Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd.

Campbell, a 41-year-old Upshur Countian with a Leesburg address, was sentenced by 115th District Judge Lauren Parish after admitting he assaulted a girl under age 14 on or about Jan. 1, 2011, Byrd said.

Under current law, Campbell must serve at least half his sentence before becoming eligible for parole. He waived his right of appeal, and Judge Parish ordered forfeiture of his peace officers’ license, as well as his lifetime registration as a sex offender.

After sentence was pronounced, the victim, who is still a minor, “provided an emotional Victim Impact Statement where she told the defendant that this would haunt her for the rest of her life,” Byrd said.

Byrd said Campbell was a Mt. Pleasant police officer for several years before resigning around last Aug. 1 while under investigation. Campbell was subsequently arrested Aug. 7 and indicted in October, Byrd added.

“The state was prepared for jury trial this last week, but negotiated this plea bargain at the request and consent of the child and her family,” Byrd said in Friday’s news release. “She felt this sentence would most likely ensure that he would never leave prison and she would avoid having to testify to these very sensitive and horrifying events that led up to this crime,” he added.

The girl, her mother, and family witnessed the plea, Byrd said.

Assistant District Attorney Natalie Miller represented the state at the sentencing, while Longview attorney Edward Choy, who was an assistant district attorney to Byrd until a few months ago, represented Campbell.